Junior Seau (Getty Images)
When most NFL fans think of the Chargers they think of electrifying offense. They’ve been long on offense and light on defense for a good part of their existence. That’s reflected in this list. The Chargers have never won a Super Bowl but were a powerhouse in the early days of the AFL, though they won only one championship. Between the cool uniforms and exciting offensive play, the Chargers have generally been one of the most exciting, if not winning teams in the NFL. Look for Justin Herbert to be on this list when I next revise it.
10. Walt Sweeney
To have the aerial circus the Chargers have had throughout their history, it helps to be able to protect the quarterback. The Chargers have had some pretty capable guys doing that over the years. During the 60s the Chargers had a couple of guys holding down the right side of their offensive line. One of those guys was Walt Sweeney. Walt was the Chargers’ right guard from 1963–1973. During that time Walt was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and was named All-Pro twice. Walt makes this list by virtue of his longevity and effectiveness.
9. Ron Mix
Ronmanned the right tackle position for the Chargers from 1960–69. How good was he? He was named to the Hall of Fame All AFL all 60s team. Amazingly, Mix was called for holding only twice in his pro career. Mix was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and nine All-Pro nine times. Ron was arguably the best offensive lineman in Chargers’ history.
8. Kellen Winslow
Kellen was a big part of the Chargers’ Air Coryell era. Winslow led the league in receptions with 89 in 1980 and 88 in 1981. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times and named All-Pro three times. In the Chargers’ classic 41–38 overtime win over the Dolphins on Jan 2, 1982 Winslow had one of the greatest games in playoff history, catching 13 passes for 166 yards and a TD, plus blocking a Dolphins field goal that sent the game into overtime. That game showcased Winslow’s immense talent.
7. Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers’ most impressive stat is he’s started every game at QB since the start of the 2006 season. Beyond being amazingly durable, Philip has been productive, being named to the Pro Bowl team eight times. Rivers has a passer rating of 95.1 and has thrown 374 TD passes against 174 picks. Philip is part of a rich history of QBs, including Tobin Rote and John Hadl. Ironically, the quarterback that took the Chargers to the Super Bowl was the less-heralded Stan Humphries.
6. Leslie O’Neal
In nine seasons with the Chargers, O’Neal recorded 12 or more sacks seven times. He topped out at 17 in 1972. He was named to the Pro Bowl six times. In a team known for big-play guys on offense, O’Neal stands out as a playmaker on defense.
5. Antonio Gates
On most NFL teams, Kellen Winslow would easily be the greatest TE in franchise history. With the Chargers, it’s at least a discussion. Not only have the Chargers had Kellen Winslow, but they also employed Antonio Gates for 16 seasons. During that time Gates was a steady producer, catching 955 passes for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. He was voted to eight Pro Bowls and named All-Pro three times. While Winslow might have been a shade better at his peak, Gates is a little higher on this list because of his longevity.
4. Dan Fouts
Dan was the triggerman for Air Coryell. Though the Chargers are an exciting offense now, to me, the most exciting time in Chargers’ history was when Fouts was throwing to Wes Chandler, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joiner, and others. From 1979–82 Dan led the NFL in yards passing. Twice he led the NFL in TD passes. Dan threw a relatively high amount of interceptions, but once again, that wasn’t as big a deal in the NFL during Dan’s heyday. Dan was the NFL MVP in 1982. He was also named to the Pro Bowl six times and All-Pro twice. He was also named to the Hall of Fame All NFL second team for the 1980s.
3. Junior Seau
Junior was the greatest defensive player in Chargers’ history. In 13 seasons with the Chargers, he was named to the Pro Bowl 12 times and All-Pro six times. While with the Chargers, Junior picked off 15 passes, recovered 11 fumbles, and picked up 47 sacks. He also had a great name for a defensive player. Junior made a lot of guys Say “Ow!”
2. Lance Alworth
In a franchise with a history of great receivers, Lance Alworth was the greatest. From 1963–69 Alworth had more than 1000 yards receiving in each season. Three times he led the AFL in that category. He also led the AFL in receiving TDs three times. Alworth was obviously a big-play threat, averaging 19.4 yards per catch. Lance was a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro. He was also one of the most exciting players in the old AFL, and all of pro football for that matter.
1. LaDainian Tomlinson
In the Chargers’ early days, they had some running backs of note. Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe come to mind. As good as these guys were, LaDainian Tomlinson was better. In fact, he’s number one on this list of greatest Chargers, though I’ve given some thought to making Lance Alworth number one on this list. LaDainian was with the Chargers from 2001–2009. He gained over 1000 yards rushing in every one of those seasons with the exception of 2009.
Tomlinson had his greatest season in 2006 when he was named the NFL’s MVP. That season he led the NFL in rushing with 1815 yards. He also led the league in rushing TDs with a mind-boggling 28. He also scored three more TDs on pass receptions. Tomlinson led the NFL in rushing TDs a total of three times. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times and All-Pro three times. That puts him number one on this list. For now.
That’s my list, what does yours look like?
